Pilot fish works as a systems engineer at a Florida company that manages IT for organizations ranging from law firms to medical clinics, so fielding an early-morning support call isn't unusual -- but he's still not quite prepared for this long-time customer.

Customer: "We have all the doors open, not only our office but the whole building."

Fish: Do you have a power issue?

Customer: "You were supposed to have fixed this days ago. It's still a problem."

Fish: I've been off until today. Let me check with one of the other engineers to see what the issue was.

Customer (heatedly): "I don't care! We need someone here right away!"

Fish: Um, Betty, this is Fred from your IT company. (Dead silence on the line.) Can I know what this issue is?

Customer (very sheepishly): "Our air conditioning has been out in the building. Your phone number is next to the A/C repair company's number. I dialed you by mistake."

Reports fish, "She profusely apologized. I can understand her problem -- being without A/C in the middle of summer in south Florida is not a pleasant issue. It got our engineers' day started with a laugh, though."

Got a hot story? Tell it to Sharky.Send me your true tale of IT life at sharky@computerworld.com. You'll snag a snazzy Shark shirt if I use it. Add your comments below, and read some great old tales in the Sharkives.

Get your daily dose of out-takes from the IT Theater of the Absurd delivered directly to your Inbox. Subscribe now to the Daily Shark Newsletter.